Critic & User Reviews

99 Points Tyson Stelzer

Some champagnes volunteer their life story within seconds of first introduction, like
overworked movie trailers that leave you fully convinced you’ve seen the film. Others churn
in your consciousness for days, slowly unravelling their story long after the credits have rolled.
NFB 2002 has played out a captivating script since my first dramatic encounter in mid-
2013. Four years on, it’s opening magnificently to display remarkable complexity, yet at every
moment clinging to impeccable elegance, coiled focus of malic acid tension and exhilarating
chalk mineral texture. Even at 15 years of age, it has barely moved, upholding brilliant primary
definition of icy lemon citrus and fennel, with only subtle, graceful evolution of nougat, butter,
honey, roast almonds and toast, promising decades of potential yet. As always, the greatness
of Billecart is proclaimed not by impact or power, but by slowly rising complexity, astonishing
chalk mineral presence of mouth-enveloping texture and a revelation of stunning persistence.
Minerality cascades in ultra-fine detail, to the point of silkiness, yet simultaneously poised and
confident. Delightful grace and intricate craftsmanship proclaim one of the great Billecarts of
the modern era, a champagne with many characters and subplots to reveal, to be enjoyed slowly
in the presence of the most intimate company – and ideally not for at least another decade. Source: Tyson Stelzer.